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The Kovsie Athletics team will look at some of its female athletes to spark when the first Varsity Athletics meeting for the year takes place in Stellenbosch on Friday (1 March 2019).

Six women from the team of 25 mixed members participated internationally last year. They are Tyler Beling, Ts’epang Sello, Yolandi Stander, Marné Mentz, Michaéla Wright, and Ané Erasmus. Among the men, Peter Makgato and Sefako Mokhosoa are the only ones with senior international experience.

It is still early in the season and most of the athletes only had two meetings up to now. Sello, an Olympian from the University of the Free State (UFS), should be a strong candidate for the gold medal in the 800 m. Last year, she took first place at both Varsity meetings. Sokwakana Mogwasi will lead the charge in the sprints for the Kovsies. She ran her personal best of 11,89 in the 100 m at the Free State championships over the weekend.

Erasmus (400 m hurdles), Wright (long jump), and Tharina van der Walt (hammer throw) are the other women athletes who could impress.

Oratile Setlhabi will be the hope of the UFS men on the track. He ran his personal best in the 100 m (10,52 s) on Saturday. Makgato (long jump) and Mokhosoa (triple jump) could also launch a strong challenge in the field.

■ Three records were recorded by Kovsies at the Free State championships over the weekend. Colette Uys, a first-year student, set a meeting record for the U20 junior category in the discus throw with her winning distance of 45,66 m. Esli Lamley bettered the pole-vault record to 3,50 m, and Lynique Beneke achieved the best ever long-jump distance of 6,55 m at the champs.